Coaxial connector with axial interlock

ABSTRACT

An electrical connector with a male member, a female member with a bore, and slots forming spring jaws in said female member to form an electrical connection between the members, and means are provided to lock the mated parts against axial displacement. The outer end of the bore is flared diagonally outwardly and a tubular member slidable on the female member contacts the diagonally flared outer end of the bore and cams the jaws outwardly to release the parts.

0 United States Patent 3,569,903

[72] inventor Alexander R. Brishka [56] References Cited Mamaromk,UNITED STATES PATENTS 3:; N9 21 3 2,944,241 7/1960 Londell, Jr. 339/91Patented Mar. 9 1971 3,493,917 2/1970 Glowacz 339/74 [73] AssigneeSealectro Corporation Primary Examiner-Marvin A. Champion Mamaroneck,N.Y. Assistant Examiner.loseph l-l. McGlynn Attorney-John P. Chandler[54] COAXIAL CONNECTOR WITH AXIAL ABSTRACT: An electrical connector witha male member, a aims rawmg female member with a bore, and slots formingspring jaws in [5 2] US. Cl 339/74, said female member to form anelectrical connection between 24/211, 24/230, 285/315, 285/319, 287/119the members, and means are provided to lock the mated parts [51] Int. ClH0lr 13/62 against axial displacement. The outer end of the bore isflared [50] Field of Search 339/74,91; diagonally outwardly and atubular member slidable on the 24/1 10,211, 230; 287/1 19; 285/315, 316,319, female member contacts the diagonally flared outer end of the 321bore and earns the jaws outwardly to release the parts.

Patented March 9, 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet l 42 FIG.

III

INVENTOR.

ALEXANDER R. BRISHKA JOHN P. CHANDLER HIS ATTORNEY.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

INVENTOR. ALEXANDER R. BRISHKA JOHN P. CHANDLER HIS ATTORNEY.

1 COAXIAL CONNECTOR WITH AXIAL INTERLOCK This invention relates tocoaxial and multiconductor cylindrical connectors. The principal objectof the invention is to provide a pair of connectors with quick connectand disconnect features with a positive interlock to retain the parts inlocked relation. The mating and unmating of the connectors isaccomplished by relative movement of the parts in a strictly axial lineand requires no rotational movement between the parts whatsoever. Thispositive locking feature prevents accidental unmating as a result ofapplying tension to the connector cables.

The female component of the connector is a sleeve with longitudinalslots forming jaws which can be inwardly set to effect a good electricalconnection on the male connectors. An annular rib in one of the membersis received in an annular slot in the other and a wall at one end of therib forms the interlock with the rib. Sliding a novel tubular memberenclosing the slotted sleeve moves the jaws outwardly a sufficientdistance to permit unmating of the parts In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view showing the male and female connectors of thepresent invention in fully mated condition;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the male connector;

FIG. 3 shows the parts in fully mated relation;

FIG. 4 shows a modification in the construction of the slidable sleevewherein it is formed in two pieces; and

FIG. 5 shows a modification in the locking feature.

The male connector has a chamfered forward end 11 to facilitate entryinto the female connector 12. The male connector has a constant outerdiameter D extending rearwardly from the chamfer except that aboutmidway between its ends there is formed a short section 14 ofincreaseddiameter with i an annular chamfer 16 at the forward end of the largerdiameter section. The rear end 18 may be formed in any desired fashionto accept a cable terminal or panel.

The female connector 12 of the pair consists essentially of two parts,an inner member 19 having a forward tubular section 20, and a slidablesleeve 21. The inner member l9has an axial bore 22 and a reduceddiameter section 24 leading to a rear end 26 with means to accept thecable. The forward tubular section has an axial bore 28 of a diameter toreadily receive the male connector 10 and it has a plurality oflongitudinal slots 29 which extend from the forward end 50 of the innermember 19 almost the full length of tubular section 20 and this forwardend has an external section 31 of increased diameter. The bore has achamfered or outwardly flared forward end 32. The slots 29 form jaws 34which may be set inwardly by bending the same so that the inner diameterof the bore 28 at its outer end is less than the diameter D of the maleconnector 10. This bore also has an inner annular groove 36 closer toits outer end which receives the short enlarged diameter section 14 ofthe male connector. The jaws 34 are forced outwardly by the chamfer 16to admit the larger diameter section 14 into the annular groove. It willbe seen that once larger section 14 snaps into the groove the shoulder38 prevents withdrawal.

The sleeve 21 has a rear annular flange 39 which is formed over andengages a shoulder 40 formed by the reduced diameter section 24. It alsohas a larger diameter section 41 at its rear end and a larger diametersection 42 at its forward end which has a central bore 44 of a diameterto freely admit enlarged portion 14 of the male connector. An interiortubular section 46 extends rearwardly of the front wall 48 of thesleeve.

Once the enlarged section 14 of the male connector has been snapped intoplace in annular groove 36, it can be removed only by moving jaws 34outwardly which is accomplished by moving the sleeve to the right whenviewed, as in FIG. 1, so that when theannular corner section 49 formedat the inner end of internal tubular section 46 contacts the flaredsurfaces 32 at the outer ends of the jaws, the jaws are cammed outwardlyto permit disassembly.

FIG. 4 shows a modification wherein the slidable tubular member 12' isformed in two pieces. The internal sleeve 58 is separately formed andhas a chamfer 59 along its forward end. The forward end of the tubularmember is also rolled or otherwise formed inwardly to provide a flange60 limiting outward movement of the internal sleeve. This view alsoshows in somewhat exaggerated form how the jaws can be set inwardly togrip. the male connector more firmly and improve the electricalconductivity of the connector assembly. Actually, the distance the jawscan be bent inwardly to accomplish this result can be very small.

In the modification of FIG. 5, the annular slot 52 is formed on theouter surface of the male member 10 and the rib 54 is formed in theinner face of the bore 28 of the sleeve 20. The rib may have a chamfer55 at its forward end to facilitate entry of the male member. The otherparts are identical with those shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

I claim:

l. A connector formed with mating male and female members with means attheir outer ends for connection with cable terminals,'the female memberhaving a bore and longitudinal slots extending from its inner end, theslots forming jaws, the inner faces of said bore and the outer face ofthe male member being of such proportions as to effect an electricalconnection when the parts are mated, one of said faces having an annularslot and the other being provided with an annular rib received in saidslot to lock the members against axial displacement, the outer end ofsaid bore being flared diagonally outwardly and'means for spreading thejaws outwardly to permit disengagement and comprising a tubular memberslidable on and enclosing the female member and having at its forwardend an internal sleeve which contacts the diagonally flared outer endsof the bore upon being moved longitudinally and cams the jaws outwardly.

2. The structure described in claim 1 wherein the jaws are set inwardlya sufficient distance to exert a constrictive action on the male memberand improve the electrical conductivity of the connector.

3. The structure described in claim 1 wherein the internal sleeve isformed in the same piece with the tubular member.

4. The structure described in claim 1 wherein the internal sleeve isseparately formed and the inner end of the tubular member is rolledinwardly to form a flange limiting outward movement of the internalsleeve.

5. The structure described in claim 1 wherein the annular slot is on theinner annular face of the bore and the rib is on the outer annular faceof the male member.

chamfer at its forward end.

1. A connector formed with mating male and female members with means attheir outer ends for connection with cable terminals, the female memberhaving a bore and longitudinal slots extending from its inner end, theslots forming jaws, the inner faces of said bore and the outer face ofthe male member being of such proportions as to effect an electricalconnection when the parts are mated, one of said faces having an annularslot and the other being provided with an annular rib received in saidslot to lock the members against axial displacement, the outer end ofsaid bore being flared diagonally outwardly and means for spreading thejaws outwardly to permit disengagement and comprising a tubular memberslidable on and enclosing the female member and having at its forwardend an internal sleeve which contacts the diagonally flared outer endsof the bore upon being moved longitudinally and cams the jaws outwardly.2. The structure described in claim 1 wherein the jaws are set inwardlya sufficient distance to exert a constrictive action on the male memberand improve the electrical conductivity of the connector.
 3. Thestructure described in claim 1 wherein the internal sleeve is formed inthe same piece with the tubular member.
 4. The structure described inclaim 1 wherein the internal sleeve is separately formed and the innerend of the tubular member is rolled inwardly to form a flange limitingoutward movement of the internal sleeve.
 5. The structure described inclaim 1 wherein the annular slot is on the inner annular face of thebore and the rib is on the outer annular face of the male member. 6 Thestructure described in claim 5 wherein the rib has a chamfer on itsouter end.
 7. The structure described in claim 1 wherein the annularslot is on the outer face of the male member and the rib is on the innerannular face of the bore.
 8. The structure described in claim 7 whereinthe rib has a chamfer at its forward end.